The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has become the first of North America’s 10 grid operators to source more than half of its power from wind at a given moment, setting a continental wind-penetration record of 52.1% on the morning of 12 February.

The Little Rock, Arkansas-based SPP oversees the bulk electric grid and wholesale power market across a 14-state, 550,000-square mile (885,000 sq km) area in the central US, a region that has seen huge growth in its operating wind capacity over the past few years.